Classroom committee table



Dec. 2s,- 1937. M- L EDDY 2,103,408

CLASSROOM COMMITTEE TABLE Filed Nov.` l12,'1956 Snventor MZDRED Z EbpY.

Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNITED STATE ATENT OFFICE- `2 Claims.

This invention relates to a classroom'committee table for use in high schools, grade schools or other educational institutions, and used by groups of students or others for committee work requiring concentrated thought, vand study in solving problems and rendering written reports or findings on subjects alotted to the group or committee. Y I

The table to be described, specifically, is for use of pupils suiciently advanced in their grades to be able to independently carry on investigations relating to assigned subjects pertaining to the sciences, arts, history and practical subjects generally, and to orally discuss andA render written reports of their findings of facts relating to the assigned subject. n

The plan includes such an arrangement that opportunity for investigation or research of each given subject will be uniform for the several groups of the class or grade, and includes assemblages of :the several groups, these occasions being for tests or recitations, at which time each group will be called upon to render its report of its ndings on the subject or problem which had been assigned to it, subject to the oral criticism of any memberbr members of the other groups as to correctness, and thereby operating as a stimulus for correct work, and tending to create competition among the several groups of the 30 class.

In the practice of this plan, while each group of pupils may consist of any suitable number, I have found that each group should work at a single table and that the pupils for a group should not exceed five in number, and in order that the work, as outlined, may be carried on to advantage I have produced the committee table now to be described, claimed and illustrated in 'the accompanying drawing, it being understood that I 40 may make changes in form, size, proportion of parts and minor details, said changes being within the scope of the invention as claimed. In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the table. Fig. 2 is a side View and Fig. 3 is a front view of the table. Fig. l is a rear view of the table and Fig. 5 is a transverse section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1, a lid being shown in elevated position and the drawers being omitted.

Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of a pair of 50 coupling-members, and Fig. 8 is a transverse section on line 8--8 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing for a more particular description in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts, I provide a pair of upright casings 9, preferably of rectangular or box like form, said casings being disposed relatively parallel and in spaced relation to provide a recess Il) therebetween.

Numeral II indicates a flat table-member which extends horizontally and forwardly from l.5, the ends of the casings and from the tops of said casings, said member Il being provided with a pair of legs I2, and it will be understood that when these parts are disposedupon a floor. or similar Support, theI top `surfaces of members 9 and I I will be disposed in a single plane. K

The table-member II is of -suchV proportions that two persons may be seated at the iront, and each side of said member provides ample space for a single student, and the recess 9 may be occu-A 15 pied by the chairman of the committee or group, ve chairs (not shown) being provided for seating the members of said group.

In order that the work of research and investigation may be carried on to advantage, each casing 9 is provided with a compartment I3 which opens on theI outer side thereof for containing books, and is provided below said compartment with suitable .drawers I4', best shown in Fig. 2, for containing records andsupply-paper.

' In order that the chairman'may have convenient means for referring to records, the inner side of each casing 9 is provided with a plurality of vertical compartments I5 varying in depth as best shown in Fig. 5, lids I6 being hinged at I1 to the topi of the casings for covering said vertical compartments, each lid being provided with a right-angled flange I8, and when the lids are closed, the flanges I8 will be disposed in line with the inner, vertical Walls of said casings, each 3 inner Wall of a casing 9 having a `lesser height than its other vertical wall, and having such proportions that the flange I8 may engage the top of said inner wall when the lid is closed.

Since the vertical compartments I5 are 0f 40 l varying depths, and since the inner side walls of the casings are of lesser height than the height of the casings, it may be said that the vertical compartments I5 open upon both the recess I9 and top of the casings when the lids IB are swung to elevated position, this being of great advantage as a matter of convenience for the chairman of the committee.

As best shown in Fig. 3, each student at the front of the table is provided with a drawer I9, and at 20 (Fig. 2) are indicated drawers which open on the sides of the table-member II, each drawer being divided as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, to provide small stalls or compartments for holding various kinds of writing materials. 55

The table-member Il is also provided with a drawer 2| which opens into the recess I0 for use of the chairman of the group or committee, and also is provided with a slide plate `22 which is mounted above and is movable parallel with this drawer, this slide-plate operating as a rearward extension for the table-member Il, and useful for the same purposes, for work thereon, as said table-member Il, and the chairman, therefore, may have use, separately, of the drawer 2| or slide-plate 22.

The table as described is approximately of Y horseshoe form, and while it may be manufactured as a unit, it may also consist of detachable parts for convenience and as an economical feature for shipments from the factory, and cost of manufacture, and therefore sockets 23 are provided in pairs for the front ends of each casing 9 (Figs. 2, 5) near the upper parts thereof, and locking-pins 24 are secured to the bottom of the table-member Il for detachable engagements in the socket-members 23, and in operation, these parts may be readily assembled or disconnected as may be required.

It is desirable that the entire top of the table shall present a smooth surface, and therefore said members 23 and 24 are disposed below the member Il, and the hinges I1 for the lids I6 should be countersunk.

Among some of the advantages derived by use of the invention, it provides a table of such arrangement that the group of students will Vbe assembled as a unit for concentrated work; also its use results in more or less physical exercise since books of reference are stored on the shelves of compartments I3 at the sides ofthe table, suilciently remote to require limited travel of a student to the supply-shelves, and thereby tending to avoid the objectionable confinement and continued physical inactivity heretofore generally practiced in schools.

The arrangement of the table for use of the chairman who occupies a chair (not shown) in the recess I0 will be appreciated; the students of a group, during assemblages, will be located at approximately uniform distances from the leader or chairman, and the view Vbetween them will be unobstructed, these advantages being largely due to the form and construction of the table and particularly due to the provision of the recess I0. Also the fact that the vertical compartments I5, for receiving reference records, open at various heights upon the recess Il and top of the casings, is a matter of great advantage to facilitate the work of the chairman and to operate as a time-saver for the group.

. I claim as my invention:-

1. A classroom committee table comprising a pair of upright casings rectangular in plan and elevation disposed with their sides relatively parallel and'spaced apart to provide a recess therebetween, each casing having a plurality of vertical compartments varying in length opening on its top and said recess, a pair of swingable lids for covering said compartments, a table-member rectangular in plan extending from the ends of the casings, the top surfaces of the table-member and casings being disposed in a single plane, one side of said table member extending along a side of one of said casings, across said recess and along the corresponding side of the other casing, means to secure said side to said casings for support thereof, and legs for supporting the opposite side of said table.

2. A classroom committee table comprising ya pair of upright casings disposed side by side in spaced relation to provide a recess therebetween, each casing being provided with socket-members on one of its sides near the top thereof and compartments opening on another side, an upright table-member provided with drawers in its side, and locking-pins along one side thereof, said table-member being adapted to be disposed in abutting position upon said recess with its top surface in alinement with the top surfaces of the casings, its locking-pins engaging in the socketmembers of said casings to support one side thereof, and legs for supporting the opposite side thereof.

MILDRED I. EDDY. 

